The Leader has been named the best large weekly newspaper in Arkansas. It has offices in Jacksonville and Cabot and covers north Pulaski County, Lonoke County and White County. The Leader is a family owned and operated newspaper that was founded in 1986.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

OBITUARIES >> 5-28-14

Willie Lomelia Dean, the middle of three girls, was born July 5, 1920, in El Paso to the late John Hollie Dean and Ann Blassin-game Dean.

Her family moved to Beebe, where she proudly graduated from Beebe High School in 1939. Tootsie went on to briefly attend classes at what is now ASU-Beebe before she met her husband, Dan Fye, at a USO dance. They were married July 28, 1942, in Little Rock.

Dan, being career military, was stationed around the United States, as well as Europe. During their 34 years of marriage, they lived in Vermont, Georgia, California and Germany to name their favorites.

Tootsie loved traveling and enjoyed making friends, attending parties and volunteering with several civic organizations wherever they went.

Along with her service, she enjoyed making a home and raising their three children: Liz, Mike (Dan) and Pris. During summers and holidays, they would take their family to the working ranch near Mount Magazine, where Tootsie’s parents lived. Tootsie enjoyed spending time with her parents, sisters, nieces and nephews.

After Dan retired from the service and instructing at Culver Military Academy, the couple relocated to Little Rock to be closer to Tootsie’s parents and other family. She most enjoyed cooking, entertaining, antiquing, collecting rocks and listening to big band and orchestral music.

She will be most remembered for her quick tongue and sharp wit. You never knew what she would do or say when she walked in the room, but you were more than certain not to forget it once she walked out. That is how she will be remembered best by those who knew and loved her.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Dan Fye; older sister, Hollye Byrd Arnold; daughter, Liz Friedricksen, and son, Mike (Dan) Fye.

She is survived by daughter, Pris Houchens and her husband Bill of Sheridan; grandsons, Don Friedricksen of Ithaca, N.Y., Brandon Fye of Franklin, Tenn., J.D. Houchens of Little Rock; sister Ann Harris of Little Rock, and nieces and nephews.

The family extends its heartfelt thanks to the staff of Sheridan Nursing and Rehab for years of dedicated care.

A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 29 at Grissard Cemetery in El Paso, where she will be buried among family.

Arrangements are by Westbrook Funeral Home.

JERRY GROBER

Jerry Ned Grober, 71, of Conway passed away May 24.

He was born on Dec. 7, 1942, in Fort Smith to the late David Elwood and Jean Gower Grober.

Jerry retired from the Air Force after 20 years, including serving in Vietnam. He later worked in civil service health profession recruiting for the next 27 years. He was a member of the Sherwood Moose Lodge No. 942 since 2006.

He was predeceased by his parents; his wife of 45 years, Wilma Faye Anderson Grober, and his son, Lenny Grober.

Jerry is survived by two daughters, Verna Waddell and her husband Gerry of Lonoke and Nedra Davidson and her husband Larry of Missouri; four grandchildren, Crystal Demster and her husband Damon, John and Kyle Davidson, and Courtney Southerland and her husband Garret; one sister, Karen Jenkins; three brothers, David Grober, Eddie Grober and Jerry Milam, and a special friend, Debbie Ford.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Wounded Warrior Family Foundation, P.O. Box 231464, Montgomery, Ala. 36123. Enclose note: In honor of Jerry Grober.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday, May 30 at Roller- Owens Funeral Home Chapel in North Little Rock. Interment will follow at noon at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in North Little Rock.

The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. Thursday, May 29 at the funeral home.

LEVETTA WILSON

Levetta Barker Wilson, born Aug. 23, 1944, left this earth on May 24 to go on a fishing date with her husband on Heavenly Ponds and enjoy the outdoors again.

Levetta is survived by her children, Sherry Ward, Keith Wilson, Teresa Stuckey Hunt and Johnny Jr. Wilson; her numerous nieces and nephews who she considered her children; 15 grandchildren (one very dear to her heart); seven great-grandchildren who she loved like her own, and two siblings, Margaret Morrow and Bobby Barker.

She was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth R. Wilson; her mom, Ora Walsh; her dad, Lee Barker, and many others.

Levetta was a loving and giving person; she never met a stranger. She always made sure that there was always room for more. She loved life, earthly possessions meant nothing, and friends were like family and family was everything. “No fighting,” she would say, “Go outside, not in my house.”

She enjoyed fishing, hunting, friends and family above all. She loved to cook whoever’s favorite dessert or meal just to see them smile.

She loved to laugh and see everyone enjoy the simple pleasures. She was a God-loving woman. A church, she would say is not a building, it was the people and they could serve God wherever they were. She was an upfront person who told you the truth whether you wanted to hear it or not.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 28 at Gravel Ridge General Baptist Church in Sherwood with Bro. Robert Hunt officiating. Interment will follow at Sumner Cemetery in Cabot.

Memorials may be made to the Wilson Fund c/o Robert Hunt 15915 Hwy. 107 Sherwood, Ark. 72076.Arrangements are by Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.

ELEANOR GILBERT

Eleanor M. Gilbert Staton of Quitman (Cleburne County), formerly of Cabot, passed from this life May 24 and is now at rest with her heavenly father. She was born Aug. 27, 1929, to Sarah and Earl Gilbert in Auburn, Neb.

She was preceded in death by her parents and sisters, Erma, Mildred and Carrie.

Eleanor was a member of Kaley Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Quitman and a former member of Charity Missionary Baptist in Ward.

She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Wayne; son Darrel and wife Joni of Quitman; daughter Brenda of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; son Earl and wife Debbie of Mayflower; sister Lola Fae Ramer of Benton, six grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 6 until 8 p.m. Thursday, May 29 at Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home in Cabot.

The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 30 at Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home with burial to follow at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Cabot. The family would like to thank the staff of Arkansas Hospice of Faulkner County for their loving care.

Visitation will be from 6 until 8 p.m. Friday at Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 31 at Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home. Interment will follow in Chapel Hill Memorial Park.

Arrangements are by Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.

FAYE SKILLERN

Faye Skillern, 65, died May 24. She was retired from First State Bank in Lonoke. She was preceded in death by her parents, Charlie and Allie Mae Evans Horton, and sisters, Earline Hill and Barbara Tippitt.

Survivors include her husband, Jim Skillern; four children, Shari and her husband Jeffery Gustin of North Little Rock, Dana and her husband Rex Kyzer, Jared Skillern of Lonoke and Jennifer Elmore of Bryant; four grandchildren, Andrew Gustin, Evan Kyzer, Abby Kyzer and Mitchell Elmore; siblings, Mick Horton and his wife Carolyn, Carl Horton and his wife Sandra, Sue Walker and her husband Wendell and Patsy Lassiter and her husband Ronnie, all of Lonoke, and Judy Carpenter and her husband Doyne of Carlisle and numerous nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 28 at New Testament Bapist Church. Burial will follow in Brownsville Cemetery.

Arrangements are by Boyd Funeral Home.

JOSEPH CUNNINGHAM

Joseph Henry Cunning-ham, 66, of Carlisle died on May 22.

He was born on Oct. 23, 1947, in Little Rock to the late Bill and Marie Cunningham.

He spent most of his career working in construction. He recently retired from Wood Grain Mill Works. He was a farmer. He served as a Carlisle city councilman for several terms, was a volunteer fireman for 25 years and fire chief. He was also a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and a member of the Army National Guard.

He is survived by his amazing wife of 47 years, Chloe Cunningham; son, Wally Cunningham of Conway and his wife Nid; daughters, D.J. Duckworth of New York City and Jo’el Cunningham of Little Rock; grandchildren, Corbin Duckworth of New York City, Tro, Keeta and Henry Cunningham of Conway; brothers, Bill Cunningham and wife Charlene of Lonoke, Thomas Cunningham and his wife Janie of Beebe, Richard Cunningham and wife Susan of Carlisle and his sister Jeanne Percefull and her husband Larry of Carlisle; 13 nieces and nephews and 12 great- nieces and nephews.

A Rosary service was held May 26 at Boyd Funeral Home in Lonoke.

A funeral mass was celebrated at St. Rose Catholic Church on May 27. Burial followed at Carlisle Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Arkansas Children’s Hospital or St. Rose Catholic Church.Arrangements were by Boyd Funeral Home.

LETHA MILLS

Letha Kathryn Mills died May 23. She was born and raised in Carlisle.

She was preceded by her parents, Kelly and Beatrice Campbell, and her husbands, Ross L. Mills and Rudy Kober.

She is survived by her children, Virgle Lee Harvey Jr. and Jimmy Dean Mills and his wife Jan; one brother, Wayne Campbell and wife Shirley; grandchildren, Barry Dean Mills and his wife Lori and Kelly Denise Harvey; great-grandchildren, Hunter Mills, Morgan Mills and her husband Cody Burnett and great great-grandchildren, Fisher and Layne Burnett.

She retired from Missouri Pacific Railroad and in retirement loved sewing, taking care of her flowers and caring for her grandchildren and nieces and nephews children.

The funeral was held May 27, with Bro. Chris Garner officiating.

Burial followed at Arkansas Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, donations will be appreciated by Arkansas Hospice or Panola Missionary Baptist Church.